The police have reportedly arrested human rights lawyer and outspoken critic of bad governance, Mr. Dele Farotimi.
According to reports quoting Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Farotimi, known for his lacerating criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his government, was picked up based on a petition written by Tony Elumelu, Chairman of UBA Plc.
Sowore’s post on his X handle, saying, “I just learned that Dele Farotimi was arrested by the Nigerian Police over a petition by Tony Elumelu of UBA Group alleging Dele defamed him,” also called for the immediate release of the lawyer, stressing that the police should not be used to settle personal disputes.
“It is pertinent that the Nigerian police are notified that the institution cannot continue to be used to settle personal scores, and we, the citizens of Nigeria, would no longer tolerate such a situation. Therefore, the police at Zone 2 in Lagos are advised to release Barrister Dele Farotimi immediately,” Sowore wrote.
The development is coming on the heels of Farotimi’s earlier alarm about threats to his life by prominent figures in the country, where he wrote: “They want to silence me. I received an invitation to report to Zone 2 Command on November 13, 2024. I complied with the directive and was presented with the petition accusing him of making defamatory statements against Elumelu. Despite finding the petition baseless, I addressed its content…”
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